Ed's Story - Keeping My Mind Active

"I always heard the expression "use it or lose it", but I never really paid that much attention to it. I have been retired for a few years and for these past few years, each day was pretty much the same as the last. Meet the guys for coffee and donuts, work my part time volunteer job as a driver for meals on wheels, and run errands. I'd spend nights relaxing in front of the TV. I love those crime dramas they've got on TV these days.

Then a few months back I saw a piece on the TV news about dementia, and how keeping your mind active may help prevent it. I don't know how much truth there was in what they were saying, but it certainly woke me up. They said anything you can do to keep the gears moving is a good thing.

So, I took a stab at a few new things. I started working crossword puzzles. I hung up a bird feeder outside my kitchen window and got myself a bird book so I could check out the native birds. And best of all, I signed up for a literature class at the local community college. And what kind of books did we read? The classic murder mysteries. Now instead of just watching them on TV, I can read them too.

Now, I don't know if I am fending off dementia, but I am certainly having fun."

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Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02215
URL: http://www.positiveaging.org/consumer/sc_ed.shtml
Category: Staying Connected Lifelong Learning
Page Name: Ed's Story - Keeping My Mind Active